Apparatus for holding and discharging collapsible tubes.



J. T. BARKER.

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND DISCHARGING GOLLAPSIBLE TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 21, 1908.

Patented 0015.4,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Fi i- WITNESSES IIVI/ENTOR y By TTOR/VEY J. T. BARKER.

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND DISOHARGING OOLLAPSIBLE TUBES.

APPLICATION FILED 00w. 21, 1908.

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

2 SHEETS'SHEET 2.

% INVENTOR John Tenney Bar/(er.

A, TTOR/VEV owners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN TENNEY BARKER, OF WALLING-FORD, CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING AND DISCHARGING COLLAPSIBLE TUBES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed October 21, 1908.Serial No. 458,820.

Patented Oct. 4, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN TENNEY BARKER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of VVallingford, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, whose postjoflice address is'Wallingford, Connecticut,

be extracted from the device when desired by the user.

The objects of the invention are to provide a simple and efficientholder for a collapsible tube which will completely inclose the tube andits contents against 'dirt and injury and will permit extracting thecontents of the tube in quantities as desired and to suit theconvenience of the user. I

A further object is to provide not only for retaining the collapsibletube in an inclosed casing, but also to provide a means for extractingthe entire contents of said tube in a. most hygienic manner.

A still further object is to provide a receptacle for a collapsible tubesimple in con-- struction and with the parts so arranged that the tubesmay be readily inserted and removed.

Referring to the drawings :-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the deviceshowing in addition to the collapsibletube receptacle, a rack forholding brushes and a cu holder. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of t elower end of the device or movable head. Fig. 3 is a perspective view ofthe guide blocks, spindle, and operating handle in the relative positionoccupied when assembled in the casing. Fig. 4: is acentral verticalsectional view through the casing and appurtenant parts. Fig. 5 is aviewin elevation ofthe device. Fig. 6 is a'cross sectional viewv inhorizontal section through the casing and appurtenant parts above theoperating spindle. Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view through the tubeplate illustrating the method of applying supplemental bushings.

The invention, as illustrated herein, comprises a casing which may,through'a suitable bracket part, be applied to a wall or similar supportin any convenient position and arranged to inclose and retain atoothpaste tube in such manner that the paste may be forced from thetube through the lower end of the casing.

I The collapsible tube for tooth-paste is well known in the art andneeds no specific description other than to indicate that the tubes aremade of a material which, when compressed, will cause the expulsion ofthe contained material through a nozzle at one end, which nozzle isordinarily closed with a screwed cap. As these screw caps and thenozzles are made of a soft material, it is not unusual for the threadsto become worn and jammed so that the cap cannot be readily applied toand removed from the tube. Furthermore, the tubes areof such a size andform that they are often misplaced, dropped upon the floor or otherwisemisused with a result that the paste may become infectedfrom almost anysource. Furthermore, the tubes are somewhat unsightly and the paste isfrequently smeared over the exterior increasing the unsightliness. It isalso a frequent occurrence for the end of the tube most remote from thenozzle to give way with a result that the paste squeezes out from saidnothing of liability of the paste oozing from the nozzle end when thetube is not in use and is inadvertently left with the screw cap removed.

, It is the object of the present invention to eliminate, so far aspossible, these disagreeable features vof using a collapsible tube, byarranging a receptacle which will always retain the tube in positionready for use and with attachments for completely discharging the tubewith ease, certainty, and under the most hygienic conditions.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1, denotes a casing, shown hereinas of cylindrical form and illustrated in Fig. 1 as surmounted by a rack2, suitable for the suspension of tooth-brushes and with a glassholder3, for retaining. a glass 4. The surmounting parts illustrated in Fig. 1comprise a cover for the upper end of the tubular casing 1. The casingis secured to a suitable bracket member 5, which may be screwed to anysupport desired, ipreferably holding the casing in a verticalposition,.al-

. though the exact positioning of the casing is not material. The lowerend of the tubular casing 1, is screw-threaded and upon said casing isscrewed a head 6, having a bulblike, extension 7, through which extendsan outlet passage 8. The head 6, is provided with an annular recess 9,threaded on one side, as at 10, to engage the threaded end of thetubular casing in such manner that the casing will be firmly held whenscrewed into the annular opening 9. The casing 1, on diametricallyopposite sides, is slotted as at 11, 12, and engagin these slots areguideblocks 13, 14, whic support and form a bearing for a spindle 15.The guide-blocks 13, 14s, are grooved on opposite sides to en- .gage theopposite edges of the respective slots 11 and 12 and are providedadjacent to their lower ends with recesses 17 18, to receive the spindle15. The spindle 15, passes through the'block 14, to the outside of thecasing and has secured to it an operating handle 19, which, when turned,will rotate the spindle 15. The blocks 13, 14, are of such a length thatthe spindle 15, may be moved downward with the blocks to the extremelower end of the casing permitting the spindle to extend slightly belowthe lower end of the tubular slotted casing 1, without disengaging theblocks from the slots. This permits ready access to the spindle for thepurpose hereinafter defined without necessitating the removal of theslide blocks from the slot. The spindle 15, is of somewhat peculiar formand is provided with a slot 20, formed between 2 semicircular bars 21,in such manner that the end of a collapsible tube may be insertedthrough said slot and upon'a slight rotation of the spindle 15, will befirmly held therein so that, as the spindle is rotated, the tube will befirmly compressed and bound about the two bars 21. This compression, ofcourse, will completely empty the flexible tube. Centrally arranged withreference to the head 6, is a screw-threaded ni ple 22, into which thethreaded end or nozz e of the collapsible tube may be firmly screwed.This nipple 22, is of such a height as to permit the spindle 15, to bindand compress the entire tube before the slide-blocks 13, 14, come intoengagement with the head 6.

The nipple 22 is swiveled in a recess 23, formed in the inner face ofthe head and is held in place by screws 24.. A gasket 25, beinginterposed between the base of the nipple 22, and the bottom of theopening 23. 0 course, it is understood that the nipple 1S P6I'fOI2ttQdas at 26, which perforation registers with the discharge opening 8, ofthe head. The arrangement of the various parts is clearly shown in Fig.4, where the collapsible tube is shown in dotted outline as at 27, thetube not being shown in full lines in order to avoid confusion. As thethreading upon the collapsible tubes varies in different makes of tubes,a convenient arrangement is illustrated in Fig. 7 for providing for saidthreads. In this figure the nipple plate 22, is provided with a threadedopening 28, to take the largest sized tube, and bushing nipples, havingthe proper interior thread to receive the end of the 001 lapsible tube,may be screwed into the threaded opening of the tube or nipple plate 22.

To provide for closing the opening 8, a bail piece 30, is pivoted ondiametrically opposite sides of the spherical head 7, and is providedwith a dependent projection 31, which may be of any desired ornamentaldesign and which will provide a handle for moving the bale 30. Thisdependent portion 31, is preferably recessed at its center as at 32, andwithin the recess may be arranged a cork or other non-corroding material33, to form a tight closure for the bottom of the discharge opening 8. I

It is desirable to insure the return of the bail piece 30, to normalposition to cover the discharge opening after it is swung away from saidopening to secure the necessary quantity of material from thecollapsible tube and to provide against accidental removal of thebailiece. To effect these results a two-arme spring 34, is attached tothe spherical head, and its arms over-lie and bear against angularlydisposed surfaces 35, on the bail-piece. The bail-piece and spring armsare so formed that said bail-piece is held against accidental movementin position to cover the discharge open: ing, and unless the bail-pieceis raised until the spring engages the next angular projection, saidspring will always return it to closed position.

. The operation of the device is as follows. The head 6, is firstunscrewed and the spindle brought down to. its lowermost osition. Thethreaded cap of the collapsi le tube is then removed and the tube isscrewed into the nipple plate 22, which, of course, is attached to thehead 6, although free to rotate with reference thereto. The flattenedend of the collapsible tube is then inserted in the slot 20, of thespindle 15, and said spindle is turned just enough to bind the somewhathard, will lie upon the upper surface thereof so that in use, it willnot be easily distributed over the teeth. As illustrated in Fig. 1, itis clearly shown that by holding the brush firmly against and moving itacross the discharge opening while the spindle is being turned, thepaste will be forced between the bristles of the brush and willcompletely fill the same as illustrated at A, instead of resting on theupper 1 surface of the bristles.

Obviously, various changes may be made in the mechanism withoutdeparting from the intent of the invention, which contemplates theholding and discharge of a collapsible tube by positive means under thecontrol of the user with features of completely inclosing said tube.

What I claim as my invention and desir to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device for holding collapsible tubes, a casing, a removable headattached to said casing and provided with a discharge opening, a tubeplate rotarily mounted with reference to the head, and providedwithmeans for the attachment of a collapsible tube, and means for collapsingsaid tube.

2. In a device for holding collapsible tubes, a casing provided with ahead, means for attaching a collapsible tube to said head, guide waysformed in said casing, a spindle extending through said guide ways, and

means traversing said guide ways forming a support for the spindle, saidspindle adapted to engage and collapse the tube.

3. In a device for holding collapsible tubes, a casing provided with adischarge opening and having means rotaril arranged with reference-tosaid opening or the attachment of a collapsible tube, a spindleoperativelyarranged in said casing to engage and collapse the flexibletube, and means for rotating said spindle.

A. In a device for holding collapsible tubes, a casing provided with adischarge opening, a collapsible tube adapted to be secured in saidopening, a spindle projecting within the casing and provided w1th meansfor attachment of the collapsible tube, and

slide blocks forming a bearing for said spindle and adapted to move onrotation of the spindle, whereby the tube may be wound upon the spindlefrom end to end.

5. In a device for holding collapsible tubes, a casing provided with ahead, means for attaching a collapsible tube to said head, guide-Waysformed in said casing, guideblocks traversing said guide-Ways, and aspindle mounted in' said guide-blocks and adapted to engage and collapsethe tube.

JOHN TENNEY BARKER.

Witnesses:

HENRY L. DAVIS, S. G. BALDWIN.

